Hi, my name is Rick and I own Slick Lasers, a Laser production company from Seattle. I have been planning on coming to the burn again this year, but due to a bad economy, I won't be able to afford to go unless I am picked up by a theme camp that wants bad ass lasers. I am willing to bring a 5Watt RGB (16.9 million colors) and a pair of 3Watt green lasers to the camp that has the best offer for me to come.... This type of setup would normally rents out for around $3,000 a day. I will be coming from Seattle and am only looking to have my costs covered (i.e. Ticket, transportation, food, and a little $$ to replace the optics in my lasers that the playa will destroy). My guess is that the total cost would be around $2,000-2500 for all week... I would really like to make it this year and light up the Playa, so PLEASE contact me ASAP with any offers... Thanks!!!

If there is a camp that really feels like they need lasers this sounds like a sort of good deal. Also remember though that these camps bring equipment out of their own pocket that often would cost much more than that per day to rent, and they still manage to pay their own way into the event. To me this is commerce. You're asking to be paid to go to the burn and bring your cool crap? We all bring our cool crap for the community and don't charge them anything. How about you pay for our theme camp costs and you can come and visit us?

This is not commerce, I am not selling anything, or asking for any sort of profit. I just am trying to make it there and not asking for anything but the cost to get there and back... And the setup i'm offering is worth over $100k so the value of adding me to your camp is well worth it, seeming that it will make your camp visible from anywhere on the Playa... Also makes a great way to always find your camp at night, just look in the sky and follow the Lasers... Not to mention it also makes your camp the talk of the Playa........ Also, I forgot to mention, but I also have a 7.5ft tall x 10ft wide LED Tube Wall I can bring for an awesome stage backdrop...

Can't seal it completly or they will overheat(Tried it before and killed my laser), just have to clean the optics after every night on the playa... The mirrors have coatings on them that get eaten up by playa and so I have to replace them after the burn...

This is not commerce, I am not selling anything, or asking for any sort of profit.

This depends on how you define "profit". In legal terms you're receiving "consideration", which is something in value in exchange for your goods or services. BM tickets etc cost money, which you're asking for. So yes, you're selling your services. If you rent out a laser for 3k a day I think you can afford your own ticket and should be able to contribute as well. No?

People offer services for tickets all the time. This time it is simply a high end service rather than making a costume or offering to set up camp, or a puppy. Or shamanistic healings and vision quests and whatever else crops up in the ticket forum. Seriously, there's a gal in tickets offering two puppies.

He took out his commercial links as I asked as a moderator. Now you're all welcome to debate the fine points of commerce on the board, but I think this is a trade for ticket and camping. Had he posted in tickets, no one would have noticed.

slicklasers wrote:Can't seal it completly or they will overheat(Tried it before and killed my laser), just have to clean the optics after every night on the playa... The mirrors have coatings on them that get eaten up by playa and so I have to replace them after the burn...

Thanks, I do a little laser work in my spare time - curious about the nature of your setup. May I ask you about make and model?

People offer services for tickets all the time. This time it is simply a high end service rather than making a costume or offering to set up camp, or a puppy. Or shamanistic healings and vision quests and whatever else crops up in the ticket forum. Seriously, there's a gal in tickets offering two puppies.

Offering a trade for a ticket is one thing. This guy is basically asking for $2000-$2500. Stated in his first post the amount of compensation he requires, maybe not all in dollar form but he spells out the value of goods he wants. Can I start renting out domes on e-playa? I could set them up for that price.

People offer services for tickets all the time. This time it is simply a high end service rather than making a costume or offering to set up camp, or a puppy. Or shamanistic healings and vision quests and whatever else crops up in the ticket forum. Seriously, there's a gal in tickets offering two puppies.

Offering a trade for a ticket is one thing. This guy is basically asking for $2000-$2500. Stated in his first post the amount of compensation he requires, maybe not all in dollar form but he spells out the value of goods he wants. Can I start renting out domes on e-playa? I could set them up for that price.

You know, it is on the line. And I could be a hard ass about it. But because it is in that grey area, just like the guy who wants a ticket for trade of a complete camp set up, or the gal who wants $1000 for sharing her older RV, camp dues, or any of the container posts ... I don't feel like being a hard ass over it. He will either get what he wants and make arrangements off the eplaya, or he's asking too much and no one will take him up on his idea. It will be moot in 30 days. Eplaya is far from pristine, and I have limited scope on what I can and cannot do. It isn't outright spam, so I'm willing to let it ride. If the other mods object, we will discuss in private and pull it if need be. So far, you have the only objections. Would it be better if he didn't mention money? Would that make you feel more burnery and pure?

I have already pulled a "rent my dome" post. Guy wanted $8K, delivery and set up was not included. THAT was pulled. So nope, you can't rent domes. Been tried. I pull a lot of posts before eplayans spot them.

I agree this is a grey area for eplaya rules and it doesn't bug me that it's up here but I'm still going to poke at him since it seems clear he is not part of the community. Other people ask for trades to help be part of the community, this guy wants to be paid to share his stuff with us. I've given lots of work and time to the community and I know people who give much more. This guy is counter to what makes the burn something fun. I wasn't serious about the renting domes thing, just making a comparison since that's just what he's doing.

Sharing costs is one thing, asking to get paid is another. I think this guy is asking to get paid.

Rick Hale, have you tried the larger camps like Root Society or Opulent Temple? I know what you are offering is an amazing deal. I have no doubt about that, but there seems to be a lot of broke camps out there, probably because it really is expensive to put up a large camp and everyone seems to want everything for free at Burning Man. I mean I cannot tell you the number of people I have heard complain about the $300 ticket price, as if that is more than a tiny fraction of the cost of attending!

I _really_ hope you make it out here! I love powerful RGB laser light shows. The last good one I saw was at the Sea of Dreams party in SF on new year's. Some singer--I forgot the one--had a laser set up that was so amazing I hardly could pay attention to the music! They were the best lasers I have very seen and made the ones that Opulent Temple use look like a 13" black and white TV compared to a high def 52" LCD.

PS - Another camp that loves lasers and was huge is Entheon Village. They might be having a "down" year though or so I heard. Still I'd e-mail them and see what they say.

Hate all you want people... I just want to make it down to the burn... I am not going to argue with any of you about what i am offereing. If there is any camp that is interested in ANY lasers, let me know, I have other systems available, and am willing to seperate my setup to make it down. 1 laser at a camp for a ticket, another for some gas money, another for meals while I'm there, and maybe another for the gas for my generator to run them... Sorry that you all thought I was asking for cash, or can not understand the words written here, but I just want to light up the playa, and due to 4 big shows all canceling in a row, it's just not in the cards for me to go unless my way is covered, and I am offering a great way for your camp to be seen all over the playa...

slicklasers wrote:Hate all you want people... I just want to make it down to the burn... I am not going to argue with any of you about what i am offereing. If there is any camp that is interested in ANY lasers, let me know, I have other systems available, and am willing to seperate my setup to make it down. 1 laser at a camp for a ticket, another for some gas money, another for meals while I'm there, and maybe another for the gas for my generator to run them... Sorry that you all thought I was asking for cash, or can not understand the words written here, but I just want to light up the playa, and due to 4 big shows all canceling in a row, it's just not in the cards for me to go unless my way is covered, and I am offering a great way for your camp to be seen all over the playa... [/img]

If you are offering an insanely good deal, people will want to help out. If not then maybe not. I didn't read that you were looking for a handout. One thing you have to know, though, is that you are talking to a group of people who collectively have a lot of DJing experience and people give at burning man more than barter, so you'll have to be far lower than the cheapest laser providers out there. Also keep in mind that camps are formed not on commerce as much as on comradeship. An usually people join camps because they dig each first and foremost, not because they want your services per se, so your offer needs to be so good that it is more or less your gift to them, not a simple barter that you might extend someone else. So unless you are in a position to offer an insanely good deal and care to get to know the camp mates a little beyond a business thing, I wouldn't bother because most will already have ways to get good deals on lasers through people who are offering them at zero profit margin as a bartering type thing.

slicklasers, I have projectors that are in the same class as your equipment, personally I'd never ask for any kind of compensation for there use, but I do understand where your coming from. I understand it's a very generous offer to even consider bringing equipment like this to the playa. I hope you find someone who wants your lasers, but I think your aiming pretty high, trying to get all your expenses covered? from experience I'd say you'd be lucky to get free tickets for yourself and a travel partner out of the deal.